NATIONAL NEWS FOR WEEK COMMENCING DEC 30 2018.
IN OUR 23rd YEAR OF NON STOP NEWS

WIA News snippets extracted from http://www.wia.org.au

THESE & MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE
WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA 2018
AND FOR WEEK OF DECEMBER 30

WIA

Although some 3 broadcasts since our last WIA Board Comment, when
President Justin VK7TW brought us up to speed on WIA activity a
Christmas Message from the board was posted on the main wia.org.au
site.

Have a read after this audio news concludes today at wia.org.au

Also news from the WIA which is up on the WIA Front page news site
includes:-

Asia-Pacific Telecommunity Conference Preparatory Group - APG 19-4
takes place in South Korea January 7 to 12 and among items to be
discussed and a plan worked out for WRC-19 Agenda Items of amateur
interest are 1.1 (50 MHz) and 9.1.6 (Wireless Power Transfer).

5 weeks ago on this the WIA National News, WIA Director/Secretary,
Peter VK8ZZ called for a special volunteer ..

Peter Pokorny VK2EMR answered that call from the WIA and armed with a
depth of skills, knowledge and experience when it was announced VK2EMR
was representing the WIA at the meeting in Korea the Australian
Government Head of Delegation invited Peter as part of the delegation
because the level of Peter's experience so impressed them that he was
invited to take on the role of negotiator and provide expert advice
on Agenda 1.1.

Again read the entire story on wia.org.au

When PEACE was brought to the Ham Bands

Penned by the WIA is a story on the special event calls, P E A C E.

More than 40 countries across the world were worked by the Armistice
Centenary special event stations, logging a total of 2721 contacts.
Twenty three first operators were involved, supported by many helpers
in putting the commemorative callsigns to air.

The WIA Board thanked Fred Swainston VK3DAC/VK4FE for managing this
special event.

Another item from the WIA on the news release section at wia.org.au
is the announcement of the Michael J. Owen Distinction Medal which
will be presented in recognition of services to the amateur radio
community and the WIA.

Michael was responsible for significant reform of the WIA, was well
known across the ACMA and had worked closely with many staff on a
range of issues.

In WRC2003 he was responsible for Article 25, that included the
abolition of mandatory Morse code, a freeing up of amateur radio
involvement in emergency communications and third party traffic.

Again as with all these important WIA items, read them in full
on the news release pages at wia.org.au

INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to IARU, RSGB, SARL, Southgate AR Club,
ARRL, RAC, NZART AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE & the World Wide sources of
the WIA.

Radio hams ready to support Tsunami relief efforts

Please be informed that the tsunami that happened on the evening of
Dec 22, around 2130 local time has hams 'at the ready'

At least 400 people have been killed and thousands injured after a
tsunami hit the coast around Indonesia's Sunda Strait, government
officials say

The country's disaster management agency says people are missing, and
hundreds of buildings were damaged. It says the possible cause of
the tsunami was undersea landslides after the Krakatoa volcano
erupted.

The Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra connects
the Java Sea to the Indian Ocean. The deaths were reported in the
Pandeglang, South Lampung and Serang regions.

The disaster management agency warned that the death toll is still
likely to rise, adding that high seas as a result of the full moon
may also have contributed to the strength of the waves.

Ham Radio in Banten Province, has already take position to support
the Emcomm.

Emergency frequency for HF will use 7.110 MHz

Austria:

Concerns of amateur radio are heard

The Austrian national amateur radio society VSV reports the
relationship between the VSV and the Federal Ministry of Transport,
Innovation and Technology has been put on a new and good basis

VSV say "Following the settlement of the differences surrounding
the new Telecommunications Act (TKG), the commitment of the Cabinet
of Minister Hofer and the appreciation of both sides once again
provided a good basis for discussion between the Austrian
Experimental Broadcaster Association (VSV) and the Federal Ministry
of Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT).
There are ongoing polls to ensure the operation of the amateur radio
service in Austria in the long term in the legal framework."

Dramatic power reduction on 23cm for Belgium radio hams

The Belgium regulator BIPT has proposed cutting to just 20 watts
the permitted power levels for the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite
allocations in 1260-1300 MHz which is used by Galileo GPS

Germany on 70 MHz in 2019

German radio amateurs may operate from their home with all modes
in the frequency segment 70.150 to 70.200 MHz from now until the end
of 2019 with max. 25 W PEP, max. bandwidth 12 kHz, horizontal
antenna.

In 2018 access was granted only from May until end of August
within 70.150 to 70.180 MHz.

Following is a report in the killing earlier this year of
Henry Allen Stange WA6RXZ, California.

Police have charged a United States Marine officer with murder
six months after the ham radio operator's body was found June 2 in a
shallow grave in Joshua Tree National Park.

The accused and his girlfriend had initially been arrested in August
but prosecutors declined to prosecute the case and the couple was
released.

Following the discovery of new information, the accused has been
arraigned on the felony charge and is being held in lieu of
$1 million bail.

WA6RXZ was 54 years old at the time of his killing.

CAPTVE AUDIENCE

Christmas at prisons

A special Christmas Day radio program to the Catalan Political
Prisoners was broadcasted on December 25th. The program had been
recorded by a team of volunteers who work at FM radio stations .

The goal was to send Christmas best wishes messages to
Catalan Political Prisoners who are on pre-trial detention
for more than one year.

The program was broadcast by local radio stations closest to prisons:

The program included relatives and friends of the prisoners who
explained how they usually celebrate the Christmas season as well
as sixty celebrities sending them warm hugs.

EU Directive on car radios

A new EU Directive requires all new car radios sold in the European
Union to be capable of receiving digital terrestrial radio

RadioWorld reports:

In the last six weeks, the European Parliament and the European
Council have adopted the new European Electronic Communications Code.
This directive requires all new car radios sold in the European Union
to be capable of receiving digital terrestrial radio, in addition to
any FM or AM functionality which manufacturers may want to include.

The code also grants EU member states the power to introduce rules
requiring consumer radios to include digital capability.

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

HAM RADIO OPERATIONAL NEWS - IT'S A CONTACT SPORT

All major Australian contests, rules and results, are on the
Contest Section of the WIA website.

wia.org.au/members/contests/about

2019

Inaugural "Green Keys Night" Set for New Year's Day, January 1

NZART Portable Activity Day - New Year's Day

ARRL RTTY Roundup January 5 - 6
This contest will, for the first time, permit the use of FT8 as well
as traditional RTTY.

Summer VHF /UHF Field Day. Saturday 12 Sunday 13 January

John Moyle Field Day is March 17 and 18

20th Harry Angel Memorial Sprint May 4

Trans-Tasman Low-Band Contest July 20

VK Remembrance Day Contest is August 17-18

--------------

The IARU, which sponsors the Worked All Continents award, has made
clear that it does not sponsor a 5 MHz (60 metres) endorsement.

"All IARU member-societies please note: the IARU Worked All
Continents award is not available with an endorsement for 5 MHz,"
an IARU announcement from IARU Secretary David Sumner, K1ZZ, said.

"The only band endorsements currently available are for 160, 80,
6 and 2 metres as well as 70 and 23 cm."

The question arose after an individual displaying a purported
IARU WAC 5 MHz Award certificate on QRZ.com said other IARU
member-societies have been issuing WAC certificates bearing a 5 MHz
endorsement under IARU auspices.

Ordinarily, an ARRL member would apply for the award through the
League, but this individual's membership had lapsed; he apparently
looked elsewhere. ARRL told the individual that the award, displayed
over Dave Sumner's signature, "does not match the awards we issue
from ARRL, nor can we find any application that was submitted for
such an award."

ARRL issues no specific awards for 60 metres.

Dave Sumner did say that WAC endorsements for 135.7 kHz and 472 kHz
would be available shortly, however.

Worked All Britain turns 50

2019 marks the 50th Anniversary of the Worked All Britain Awards
Group. To mark the occasion, three new awards will be introduced
for 2019 only.

In conjunction with the new awards, GB50WAB will run throughout
the year, along with a number of other regional special event
stations. This commences on the 1st of January, with GB50WAB for
two weeks from C62 in Northern Ireland, and GB9WAB for four weeks
from SK51 in Leicestershire.

For more information, keep an eye on www.worked-all-britain.org.uk

THROUGH THE DX WINDOW

Columbian Special Event

Look for special event station 5 K 6 RM to be active during the
Manizales Fair between January 5-12th. This activity is to
commemorate and promote the fair.

Operations will be on 160-2 meters using CW, SSB and Digital modes.

QSL via direct, by the Bureau, LoTW or eQSL.

For more details, see: http://5k6rm.blogspot.com

Antarctica op

Felix DL5XL operates once more as DP1POL from the station
Neumayer III (AN-016, WW Loc. IB59uh).
QRV until the end of February 2019 on HF mostly on CW and digital
modes.

QSL via DL 1 BZO

(SOUTHGATE)

DF13, German special event

Look for special event stations with prefices DF13, to be active
between January 1st and June 30th, 2019.

Activity is to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the maiden flight
of the Junkers F-13, the mother of all commercial aircraft.

All QSOs will be automatically confirmed after July 15th, 2019, with
a QSL card via Bureau. If you do not need a QSL card, let them know.
This saves their money and time. Send direct QSLs via DM2TO cards

Masada Fortress special event THIS weekend

Members of the Holy Land DX Group will operate from the heart of
'Masada Fortress' as 4 X 0 M between January 4-6th, 2019.

Built by King Herod the Great, Masada, was designated a UNESCO
World Heritage in 2001. From its strategic perch in the Judean Desert
overlooking the Dead Sea, this historically famous palace fortress is
one of the most visited tourist sites in all of Israel.

For more info, see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masada

Activity will start on Friday, January 4th, at 0730 UTC, and close
down on Sunday, January 6th, 0600 UTC.

80-10 meters using CW and SSB.

QSL Manager is Antonello, IK2DUW

SRI LANKA, 4S.
Peter, DC 0 KK is QRV as 4 S 7 KKG from Moragalla, IOTA AS-003, until
April 1, 2019. Activity is on the HF bands using mainly CW and various
digital modes.

Andre ON7YK is active from his station in Gambia using the callsign
C 5 YK. He will be there until early March 2019.
QSL to his home call ON7YK

The Indian Institute of Hams, which marked their Silver Jubilee Year
in 2018, is jointly hosting HamFest India with REVA University in the
Silicon City of Bengaluru this weekend the 29th and 30th of December.

One of the highlights of the two-day event will be a YL Forum taking
place on the morning of the second day.
Everything from satellites to software-defined radio will be covered
in the program on the private university's campus.

For more details visit hamfestindia.com

WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - FINAL FRONTIER

AO-85 update

Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, Vice-President Operations published the
following on AO-85's status as of December 19, 2018:

"As you probably know, AO-85 has had issues recently with the
batteries dropping precariously low during eclipse. We think
it's likely the batteries suffered degradation due to heat during
previous periods of no eclipses. This has made it difficult to keep
the satellite available for use without endangering the batteries.

Today the nominally 3.6v pack was down to 2.8v at the end of the
eclipse.

That is dangerously low.

"In an effort to extend the useable life of the satellite, this
evening we turned both the IHU and the transmitter off. This ceases
all transmissions, including the beacons every two minutes in both
sunlit and eclipsed parts of the orbit. We will periodically turn the
satellite back on for an orbit or two, in order to gather telemetry.
If all goes as planned, we will turn the repeater back on during the
next period of no eclipses beginning around January 24th.

WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- IOTA
www.iota-world.org

AF-019.

Drago, S 59 A, will be active as IG9/S59A from Lampedusa Island
between January 21-31st, 2019. Activity will be on 160-10 meters,
and this will include the CQWW DX 160m CW Contest (January 25-27th)
as a Multi-Op entry. QSL via his home callsign.

The IARU has announced the next annual Youngsters On The Air
summer camp, which will take place in Bulgaria, close to the
capital city, Sofia.

The Bulgarian Federation of Radioamateurs will be hosting the
event. The RSGB plan to send a team to the event and applications
for the UK team leader and team members will be invited in due
course.

SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - VHF AND ABOVE (The Plumbers Delight)

Germany:

Class E use of 2.3 and 5 GHz bands extended

The DARC say the 2018 access rules for the 2.3 and 5 GHz bands for
holders of a Class E license were renewed for 2019.

A survey confirmed a high level of interest of the Class E license
holders in accessing HAMNET and other uses for these bands. The
Round Table Amateur Radio (RTA) thanks, in the name of German radio
amateurs at the frequency management of the Bundeswehr, the BMVg
and all responsible employees of the Federal Network Agency BNetzA.

Heidi VK3FHID and Jenny VK3WQ are leading the team who are planning
an eventful weekend. This team is meeting regularly and are looking
forward to seeing you in Bendigo.

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